Printer s quoin



(No Model.)

' T. S. METOA-LF;

PRINTERS QUOIN.

N0. 337,851. Patented Mar. 16 1886.

s PlmlD-Lvlhngmphal. wmuin mn I! C UNITED STATES PATENT UEFTCE.

THEODORE S. lWIETOALF, OF CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA.

PRINTERS QUOIN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 337,851, dated March 16, 1886.

Application filed December 11, 1884. Serial No. 150,065. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, THEODORE S. METoALr, a citizen of the United States, residing at Gedar Rapids, in the county of Linn and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Printers Quoins, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to obviate the difficulties and inconveniences arising from the use of the ordinary printers quoin,by so constructing it that it may be spread in a direct lateral linein securing Work in the chase, and that at all times it may be in a connected and compact form, ready for use.

The invention consists in two inclined side pieces adapted to be so connected as to move only laterally, and a central wedge interlocking with such side pieces and adapted to spread or contract them by its longitudinal movement.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 represents a plan view ofthe invention as applied to a section of the chase and furniture; Fig. 2, a side perspective of the wedge; Fig. 3, asimilar view of one of the sides; and Figs. 4, 5, and 6, end views of the invention, showing various ways of connecting the parts.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

The quoin is composed of three partsthe side pieces, A A, which are exact duplicates, and the wedge 13, adapted to slide in the angle between them. To prevent either side from moving endwise with the wedge, the former are provided with lugs aa, arranged to interlook when the sides are placed in proper position for use, as shown in Fig. 1. Between these side pieces is placed the wedge 13, and in order to prevent the separation of the parts when not in use they are dovetailed or otherwise locked together, while at the same time admitting of free longitudinal movement on the part of the wedge.

The particular manner of interlocking the parts may depend somewhat upon the question of convenience in manufacturing; but in practice I regard the form shown in the first four figures as probably best adapted to the purpose. In this a dovetail tongue is formed on the inclined face of the side pieces, and a corresponding groove in the two opposite inclined sides of the wedge. For convenience in making the wedge,this groove need not be continuous, and at the wider end it may be only partial, a lug, e, at two opposite corners being sufficient to hold the parts together, in connection with the lateral lugs a a on the side pieces. Thus constructed the parts have a broad bearing-surface, rendering them both durable and effective.

Modifications in the interlocking means are shown in Figs. 5 and 6, and are so simple as to require no further description.

Various means may be employed for moving the wedge, the simplest of which is the common shooting-stick; but to avoid the jar and battering caused by this tool I prefer to move the wedge by steady pressure, one of the simplest modes being the application of the common rack and pinion. To this end a segmental rack is formed in opposite sides of the wedge and in reverse position, as shown in Fig. 2, and a corresponding rack in one side of each side piece, so that when put together the quoin has a double series on each side, though each contiguous face is broken by only one row of teeth. A much larger bearingsurface is thus afforded the parts than in the common double quoin, where the teeth are necessarily in parallel rows each side of a comparatively narrow central bearing-face, and the effectiveness and durability of the quoin is thereby materially increased. The wedge is moved by a pinion attached to a suitable wrench. The operation of the parts will be readily seen by reference to Fig. 1, in which the full-line drawing shows the qnoin contracted, and the dotted outline indicates the same spread.

The objections to the common wedge-quoin in connection with atapered side-stick are not only to the jar and battering before mentioned, but to the number and variety of the quoins required for different positions along the side-stick and the time consumed in selecting them. To obviate these difficulties the double quoins mentioned above were devised, they being two wedges I placed face to face in reverse order,and made to expand by moving in opposite directions; but in consequence of this longitudinal movement great care is often required to prevent displacement of the work thereby, while the difficulty in using the quoins near the corner of the chase is obvious. In addition to this, it is necessary to pick up and put together two of these quoins before they are ready for use. All of these objections are removed by my invention, it being compact in form, always connected, and adapted to expand in a straight lateral line.

It will be understood that after being puir together the open end of the quoin may be battered slightly or otherwise modified so as to prevent the wedge from slipping out, though ordinarily this will not be necessary. 7

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- I 1. A printers quoin composed of two inclined laterally-movable side pieces interlockresponding with their height, and' a connecting longitudinally-movable wedge of equal height having bearing-faces corresponding thereto and matching the side pieces, said THEODORE S. METOALF.

Witnesses:

FRANK G. CLARK,

ing at one end and having bearing-faces cor- L. T. WILOOX.

wedge being shorter than said side pieces, to 

